Indian Navy offers to purchase handloom products
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 21 2023: The Indian Navy has offered to purchase some handloom products from Manipur Handloom & Handicraft Corporation Limited.

The offer comes after some officials of the Indian Navy reportedly witnessed handloom and handicraft items displayed at corporation's stall opened at Indian Craft Bazar held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi in connection with the recently held G-20 Summit hosted by India, disclosed corporation managing director E Jiten at the closing function pf State Handloom Expo (Hathkargha Mela).

As chief guest at the event, Jiten said the Indian Navy has communicated to the corporation for purchasing some handloom products mainly middle-size hanging items having specific dimension.

Officials of the Indian Navy might have witnessed corporation's stall at Indian Craft Bazar in New Delhi during the G-20 summit and accordingly communicated for purchase of some handloom items.

The corporation alone could not supply the items if the demand is made in terms of lakhs and some weavers might not want to produce the items with the specific dimension mentioned by the Indian Navy official who offered the deal.

Nevertheless, the corporation does not want to miss the big opportunity to sell state handloom products to outside, he said and expressed hope that the deal will greatly enhance economy of state weavers if it materialises.

It will be a huge benefit for state weavers and artisans if they are able to supply the demands from outside in affordable price or else weavers/artisans of other states would grab the opportunity, E Jiten said and appealed weavers/artisans of the state to stop hiking prices when their items are enquired by purchasers from outside.

He also said that time has come for local weavers/artisans to look towards expanding market to outside rather than focusing on indigenous market only.

The closing function of the State Handloom Expo held at Urban Haat, Nilakuthi sponsored by office of the development commissioner for handloom and handicraft of the Ministry of Textiles was also attended by deputy director (Weavers Service Centre) Priyadarsi Daripana as president, and Manipur Apex Handloom Weavers & Handicrafts Artisans Cooperative Society Limited president Ksh Indira and Nilakuthi Apunba Meira Paibi Association secretary Paonam Prema as guests of honour.

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